David b



(Modem D.B.DUNOAN.

GAR COUPLING.

Patented May 1882.

-ENTDR: m.

ATTORNEYS.

UNtTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID B. DUNCAN, OF NEW RIOHMOND,OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND HARRY F.MOORE, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,675, dated May 9,1582. Application filed March 9, 1882. (ModeL) To all whom it mayconcern: Be it known that I, DAVID'B. DUNCAN, of Newltichmond, in thecounty of Glermont and State of Ohio, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Gar-Couplings, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

My invention relates to a coupling which is more particularly intendedfor use in connection with freight-cars, but is also applicable to toother cars.

The inventien consists in a hook provided with a lateral cam on itsheel, to be used in connection with a similar hook carried by anothercar, a draw-head of novel construction [5 for carrying said hook,aehain, crank-rod,vertical rod,and gearln g for raising the hook,and alink carried by the pivot of the hook, to be used in connection with acar having the ordinarylinkandpin coupling, all as hereinafter moreparticularly described. a

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is an end view of a car provided with my improved coupling.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of two of the couplings,showing the manner of their engagement. Fig. 3 is a top view of thedrawhead and hook.

0 The draw-head A has .its top and front end open, with its mouthslightly flaring. The couplinghook B has its front edge inclined at suchan angle as to enable it to ride over an abutment in order to connecttherewith. At

5 the heel of the hook is formed a lateral cam,

O, a side view of which resembles a half-circles 5 passes. The underside 0 the heel of the hooksB is recessed to accommodate these eyes, andthe bottom of the draw-head is provided with notches to allow the linkto hang down when not in use.

An iron rod or bar, F, is arranged horizon- 5o tally in keepers 9,attached to the end wall of the car. The baris bent midway ofits lengthto form a crank-arm, f, and its ends are provided with levers G, which'may be formed by bending the rod itself, or may be attached in anysuitable manner.

To the rod F, near the crank-arm, is attached a bevel-gear wheel, It,which meshes into a similar wheel, 17, at the lower end of a verticalrod, J, working in keepers and extendingto the top of the car, where itis provided with a lever-handle,K. Achain,L,conneets thehook B with thecrank-armf.

The operation is as follows: In coupling two cars provided with myimprovement the front end of each hook B rides over and engages with thecamO on the heel of the opposite hook, as shown in Fig. 2, and thus aperfect coupling is effected. To nncouple the cars either one of thehooks B is raised by means .70

of the levers G at the sides, or the handle K at the top, of the car;and to preventcoupling the hook is left in a raised position. Wheneither one of the hooks is raised it allows the other to be withdrawn,and also prevents coupling, for the reason that the raising of the hookplaces its cam O in such a position that its flat surface forms aninclined plane, sloping downward toward the rear of the d ra\v-head,sothat the point of the opposite hook has nothing to engage with and willride up over the cam; but when the hook is in a horizontal positiontheflat surface of the cam is also nearly horizontal or slightlyinclined forward, so that the point of the opposite hook will ride overit-and engage with the edge formed by the junction of the flat surfaceand the round surface.

XVhen a car provided with my invention is to be coupled to a carprovided with the ordinary link-and-pin coupling thehook Bis raised 0and held up out of the way, and the link D is employed in the samemanner as the ordinary link.

The advantages of my invention are: It is strong and simple, is notaffected by the 5 weather, and is not liable to get out of order.

It is automatic in its action, and yet it maybe arranged to preventcoupling. It is operated from the side or top of the ear, thus obviatingthe necessity for going between the cars. The shape of the hook and camis such that there is no danger of accidental uncoupling when runninglight or backing the train.

The coupling may be used in connection with any ordinary one bysubstituting the link for the hook. I

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent-- 1. Acoupling-hook, B, inclined in front, having the lateral cam O and a recessed heel, and pivoted on .a bolt, 0, incombination with a notched draw-head and an iron rod bent in the middleto form a link, D, said rod being provided with an eye at each end, asand for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with two books, B 13, on pivots 0, of the cams O C,each arranged on the heel of a hook to be out of the way of the oppositebook when its own is in a vertical po- .sition, but when the same is ina horizontal position to permit the point of the opposite hook to rideover it and engage, as described. 25

DAVID B. DUNCAN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE A. PHIF ZR, FRANK DAVIS.

